5 comments about Materials for Design.

1. It is really a nice book. The definitions for each material are clearly represented. The case studies are up to date. I like the demonstration of all of the details.



2. I highly recommend this book. I am an architecture student, and I have found this book to be interesting, useful, and full of great projects. The book does a nice job of talking about the history, uses, strengths, and weaknesses of building materials. The book is organized by material with building projects that utilize those particular materials in an innovating and interesting way. The photos are great and the detail drawings are very nice to see as well.



3. I absolutely agree with the two previous reviews-- it is a seamless combination of technical info and aesthetics. The book was recommended in my Masters of Architecture program by the Construction-I professor and since then it has been circulating widely in the design studios. It is a great resource for material detailing AND design inspiration. Wa-hoo-wa, Victoria Bell, great job.



4. Architecture is an interesting mix of enginnering and art. All too often one of these is emphasized too much at the expense of the other. If too much art is emphasized, it is easy to design structures that cannot be built with the materials being specified.
   
   This book is an attempt to bring the two together. It is broken down into five sections: Glass, concrete, wood, metals, and Plastics. In each category there is some description of the material itself, its history, and some generalized design characteristics. Then there is a set of descriptions of buildings built using that material. Each building is deacribed in some detail, photographed from several views and in most cases contain some line drawings of particular points of construction being used.
   
   Obviously this is an idea book that can be used in the early phase of design when the broad concepts are being discussed. The designs in the book stretche the normal thoughts in design with the particualr materials. It is far more interesting than most as it also stretches shat can be done with these materials.



5. If you've seen beautiful design and wanted to know how it was actually made, this is the book to show you. The case studies are the best of recent work and each has clear concepts, many color shots and ALSO clear construction drawings and details which are impossible to find. Some books only tease with images but not explanations, and technical manuals miss the beauty of design altogether. This book brings the two together. I don't know why this approach was not taken before, but it's what I've been looking for.

No comments about AutoCAD2009 and AutoCAD LT 2009: No Experience Required.

5 comments about Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, 10th Edition.

1. As a resource librarian in a mid-size design (architecture) firm, building and maintaining a reference library is one of my responsibilities. I normally wait until I get a request for a book before I review it for inclusion since there is so little space for "real" books. This book was requested so that a designer could study for her registration exam. She gave it a glowing review and said it had been mentioned on the exam blogs as one of the must-reads. It also seemed to have, in one place, all the information a practicing architect would need to design with or around mechanical systems, as well as provide the framework and vocabulary to talk to consultants.



2. This book was used as a text for two of my classes in my third year of architecture schooling. It is extremely useful, with lots of descriptions and helps you to understand more than just the structure of the building. Lighting, plumbing, all the different systems, etc. It has been very useful and I recommend it as a great reference.



3. I came across this book preparing Architectural Registration Exam (ARE).
   I have to say that this book is an essential for architects
   who are preparing MEP (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing)section of the ARE.
   
   The book is divided into basically nine sections.
   
   1. design context
   2. thermal comfort
   3. illumination
   4. acoustics
   5. water/waste
   6. fire protection
   7. electricity
   8. signal equipment
   9. transportation
   
   It describes various systems of each section with pretty
   accessible narrative.
   Abundance in graphics and diagrams is very helpful.
   The book is extremely helpful in understanding where each
   kit of parts fit into the overall building systems.
   
   For instance, I heard about AHUs/ cooling towers/ refrigeration
   cycle/ boilers/ duct systems/ etc. , but I never knew how
   they fit and interconnect to one and another. The book, being
   encyclopedic in its contents, really helps to overcome that.
   
   The book also pays particular attention to the "sustainable"
   agendas and strategies.



4. I was searching for a good general description of central plants. The impending installation of 1000 ton chillers, cooling towers, electrical conversion to primary service, multiple emergency generators, paralleling gear, etc. This book didn't fit the bill. The 9 pages on central plants for HVAC were a disappointment. From the title , I expected more on MEP and didn't expect the book to be more about illumination, color,acoustics etc. My fault, not the book.



5. This almost 1800 page treatise on mechanical and electrical design as it relates to architecture is one of a kind. It is not an artistic book on the subject, although some artistic ability is always needed in any aspect of building design. Instead it is a very technical book that shows how the architect must be part electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, electrician, physicist, plumber, safety specialist, and transportation engineer in order to design the modern building. And to top it all off, you need to be knowledgable of current mechanical and electrical equipment - their specifications and their costs.
   
   The book has plenty of examples with step by step instructions on how to perform various subtasks. Many of these examples contain numerical calculations, so it will help if you have had freshman engineering physics, especially in the sections on illumination, acoustics, and electricity where calculations, tables, and equations abound.
   
   The book is broken into nine parts encompassing nearly every technical decision involved in designing a modern building. The first section is an introductory one on the context of design. That is followed by sections on thermal control, illumination, acoustics, water and waste, fire protection, electricity, signal systems, and finally in-building transportation. A lengthy appendix contains a great deal of supplemental information, including climate data for various parts of the United States, solar geometry, sound transmission data, and a listing of software that can be helpful in performing the tasks discussed in this book, and how that software can be obtained.
   
   I highly recommend this book to aspiring architects and also to civil engineers that are interested in the construction of modern buildings. It's been the flagship book on the subject for seventy years in its various editions, and probably will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

5 comments about Hotel Design, Planning, and Development, New Edition.

1. I was assigned to teach at the Master Degree class on "Facility Management" subject focusing on Hotel Facility. I have gone through several books regarding hotel design. I think this book is the best of all. Any designer who reads this book back to back will certainly understand the whole concept. It is not only about how to design the hotel as an architecture piece, but the reader will also understand the hospitality business. This book also covers the design and management issues of related topics such as "Restaurant", "Entertainment Venue" in the hotel. It is the 'must have' for all architects who want to design a hotel efficiently. It can also be a good book for anyone who is in the hospitality business and currently in charge of renovating or upgrading the hotel space; or the hotel's representative who need to communicate with architects or interior designer. This book can be the great tool to evaluate the result of the hotel construction project or even to 'correct' it. The tables and formulas for space calculation in this book are easy enough for anyone to understand. This book can be of great use to all building design professionals. It can also be a valuable one for any people who is interested in hotel business.



2. The work of hotel design and planning is different from other architectural works; it requires an indepth understanding of hotel business. Therefore, the hotel architecture became one of the toughest job for architects. (Another job is the hospital architecture.)
   
   However, this book proposed design guidelines for a hotel fit to the business pattern. First, it explains various types of hotel properties. Second, it shows not only design guidelines for facilities but also planning approach methods for location selecting and size determination. Finally, if you read this book, you can consider efficient management system of the property from the early phase of design.
   
   Among numerous books on hotel architecture, I think this book is the most outstanding resource.



3. I am an Interior Design student and found this book very helpful in completing a hospitality design. It provides a breakdown of the areas of the hotel, the different types of hotels, and the type of customers that use them. It really helped me in laying out the floor plan. There are also some awesome color pictures of fabulous hotels in the world. I highly recommend for anyone interested in hospitality design.



4. This a book that be should always be close to you if you work in the hotel development industry.



5. I found this in the Rizzoli bookstore and had to slit the shrinkwrap to see what the book was like. Then sat down in a soft chair to browse through it but after a half hour decided it made more sense to just buy it and read it at home. Not disappointed. The book covers everything in great detail - lots of text - with pictures of hotels from the Chilean Andes to London and Paris and New York. A "must have" for people interested in travel and hotels and architecture.

5 comments about AutoCAD: Secrets Every User Should Know.

1. I've been using AutoCAD for many years and have seen many books rehash the same old stuff.
   This book addresses Autocad from a user standpoint, written by someone who not only completely understands AutoCAD but also knows how it's used in the real world.
   A "must-have" for all AutoCAD users.



2. This is the first CAD book that I have bought in years (using AutoCAD since release 2.5), this book is a must have for anyone using AutoCAD. This is not a command reference guide, it truly shows you how to use the software through best practices, customization, automation and programming. It is a comprehensive book filled with tips, tricks, pitfalls, and examples. Mr. Abbott has brought together enough productivity tips for the user that the book will pay for itself through increased productivity.



3. I've been a user of AutoCAD since release 10 (1991), at one time I used to purchase 2 to 4 reference books per AutoCAD release. I have not purchased a book on AutoCAD since AutoCAD 2000. Until now. Mr. Abbott's book is by far the best AutoCAD Productivity book on the market! If you have had formal or informal training for AutoCAD, or are a seasoned user of AutoCAD, get this book! Although Mr. Abbott packs this book full of real-world tips and tricks and enough examples to give one a good jump-start with customizing AutoCAD, my enthusiasm for this book is based on the fact that Mr. Abbott explains how and why AutoCAD works without being geeky. "AutoCAD: Secrets Every User Should Know", is a well written reference and tutorial book which will not become obsolete with the next release of AutoCAD.



4. AutoCAD Secrets every User should know is a fantastic Book.It helps me in my CAD Life.My favorite Chapters are Why Dos isnt dead yet and Chapter 7 AutoCAD Scripts.The Book has improved my productivity, and has enlarged my time off,making my Job easier.AutoCAD Secrets is written in a nice and understandable way.I hope that Dan Abbott writes another Book soon.
   
   Thank You
   
   Jose De Jesus



5. The index is a great resource for those in the world who were thrown into CAD with no formal training, like myself. To have this reference handy next to our company CAD station has been a budget saver, eliminating the fumbling and guessing that historically took place for our projects. Not only that, but the primary proofreader of the book, Paul, is a fantastic resource for nit-picky questions that I inevitably run across in my projects.
   
   Thanks Dan.

5 comments about Landscape Graphics.

1. Though the book was published in 2002, the graphics may seem a bit dated in our digital age, but the book is an excellent source of skills and design treatments needed in landscape design. Lettering and symbols are very helpful. The book is consistent with college level instruction and is recommended reading.
   
   Dan Halsey
   [...]



2. This book is an absolute must-have for the beginning landscape designer/architect's personal library. As a fifth year landscape architecture student, my book is in wretched condition due to the fact that I refer to it constantly, more than any other book I own. It will continue to be useful to me for years to come.



3. Lots of good ideas with which to practice or trace. Definitely a particular style, but still somewhat general. One could easily devlop their own style from this. And more than likely, you're probably required to get this book if you're reading this. Best of luck!!!



4. This book covers almost every aspect of landscape sketch and graphic. It is good for you if you want to learn hand sketch, it is also good for you if you want to create nice CAD drawings. Many of the tree /shrub symbols in both plan views and elevation views are nicely done, they can inspire you to create nice computer blocks for trees and shrubs for plans and sections and elevations.
   
   It covers graphic language and design process, basic drafting, lettering (nowadays almost everyone can do nice hand lettering fonts with computer, but this book is still good for assisting you to select lettering fonts or create your custom fonts in computer), freehand drawings and conceptual diagrams, presentation plans, section-elevations, graphic symbols files for elevations and perspectives.
   
   All the sketches, plans, sections, elevations and perspectives are nicely done. They can be good samples for landscape architecture students, garden design students, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and seasoned designers.



5. For beginning drawers in the landscape architecture field, this is a great reference book. Lots of graphics from which one can begin. It's hard to beat the price too.

5 comments about WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING: A BEHIND-THE-DREAMS LOOK AT MAKING THE MAGIC REAL.

1. This book contains an astonishing array of images and sketches from throughout the development of various projects the Imagineers have worked on. If you are interested in really understanding the forced perspective of Cinderella's Castle, or the graphical concept behind "It's A Small World", or if you're just a big fan of the Disney theme parks, this is a remarkable resource, full of life and creative spark. Though it does not have any sort of case study of the development of any particular attraction (though why would it since the most important part of the development is the final version, the one that guests get to enjoy!), a single flip through the book will reveal the vast amount of effort that goes into the Imagineer's creations. Through a closer inspection it is possible to understand the intricate ways in which the various departments collaborate on the projects. Overall, it's a spectacular collection of images and ideas, and is well worth the money for anyone who has ever dreamed of being an Imagineer.



2. Wonderful book full of information! Definitely recommend this for any Disney behind the scene facts!



3. I added this book to my collection several years ago, and it is a great addition to any Disney or Imagineering fan's collection. I personally am a huge fan of Walt Disney the man, and all the projects he was involved in. This book gives more images than anything else, but some of the images and the little bit of information it gives is definitely interesting and fun to have. If you are looking for something more in depth about Imagineering I don't know if you will really find it here - it is similar to what you might get in watching a behind the scenes special feature on a DVD, it just glosses over some of the projects and plans throughout Disney Imagineering history.



4. I taught high school art and retired a couple years ago. This was my bible for creative ideas and approach. I now teach at the college level and still use it regularly as a reference.
   
   I have gifted this book to several of my outstanding students. They loved it.



5. I loved this book because it has so many pictures. It is most interesting to see aspects of the rides that you might not get to view by visiting the park. The enthusiasm of this book is inspiring for anyone who is interested in theme park design. It does not get into anthing too technical, or show you what an Imagineer does from day to day on a regular basis. I would reccomend this book if you are interested in seeing Disneyland from another angle or if you want to be a theme park designer. It is a very good book if you aren't looking for technical advice, just to have fun and get excited!

5 comments about Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials of Enduring Design.

1. I first got this book when checking out a bunch of books on home design from the library. This one really spoke to me and stood out from the crowd. I ended up buying one copy for friends who are building a house and one for me... because SOMEDAY I am going to build my house... and just has good ways to think about what I want to do with the house I'm in and what I'd look for both as existing features and potential features of a new home. Concrete ways to think about how to create a home that feels like home.



2. I loved the original, but this one is lame. One star for pretty pictures. In a nutshell, here are the 10 patterns in this book.
   1. Be rich.
   2. Own a very large piece of beautiful property.
   3. Preferably in an environmentally sensitive area like a wetland.
   4. Or own a house in a historical neighborhood.
   5. Be very rich.
   6. Build a small house, say 4000-5000 square feet.
   7. Make sure your house is perfectly new and perfectly clean, but with mature landscaping.
   8. Use tons and tons of wood to build your house.
   9. Own several invisible cars.
   10. Be one of the .001% of the people who can afford these insane homes.
   Good luck.



3. There may be a few good principles here but they were lost on me, amidst the overwhelming ostentatiousness of the houses. Do they think the only people who read design books are multi-millionaires? The houses lacked the very thing they were going for - a sense of home-iness.



4. The architect authors have matured since they wrote "A Pattern Language" (APL), and have made a large effort to extract and apply just the essential rules from the hundred of rules of APL.
   
   True, PoH is a large, posh book of large, posh homes. The cost of the homes are far outside the means of over 99 percent of American families. However, these large designs include truly practical concepts that can be translated into more realistic homes.
   
   Each design is far more useful and welcoming that what you might find in a bool of hundreds of houseplans. We are going to build an energy efficient home under 2000 sq ft, and we will refer to PoH to stay on track with the few essential elements. No, it will not have 30 foot ceilings over a huge common room (just you try and paint it!), but it will show the roofline and include other elements.



5. This book provides valuable informaion for those who want to pursue the perfectly built and positioned home. The concepts are fasinating and could be somewhat easy to put into pratice, however, the author uses large, VERY expensivly built homes leaving the impression that only the very wealthy can afford such superior design. This is unfortunate. I do believe that some the most basic concepts can be put into play in most homes it would just take some imagination and determination.

No comments about Far from Equilibrium: Essays on Technology and Design Culture.

5 comments about The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects: Creative Techniques for Photographers, Artists, and Designers.

1. In my opinion, there can never be too many books like this one by Michael J. Hammel. This project-based book has great examples of how the graphic designer can use the GIMP software to get the job done. Each tutorial in this book is an individual project, allowing the reader to pick which tutorials best meets his or her needs. But read them all. Each technique is not presented in a vacuum. Hammel discusses these techniques in a way that prepares the readers to reproduce the results in their own projects.
   
   Besides being a project-based book, I also liked that Hammel did not waste the reader's time, and his own, discussing every detail about each panel, menu command and keyboard shortcut. Instead, he commits those pages to more information that you can really use. Don't get me wrong, he does give a short overview of the GIMP workspace in order to orient the novice to the software. But he does a good job of giving the readers only the information that they will need for the rest to the book.
   
   So what does Hammel cover in this book? He writes each project-based tutorial from the point-of-view of the graphic designer. He begins with a short description of the design criteria for the project and ends each tutorial with suggestions for other projects where the reader might apply these techniques. He divides the book into six chapters and each chapter covers a different area of graphic design. Once he covers the basics, he moves on to techniques for the photographer, web designer, advertising designer and UI designer. Throughout each chapter, he discusses how type applies to the project and he also devotes a chapter to type effects.
   
   For the photographer, he begins with some simple techniques for adding steam to a photo and creating a vignette. Then he covers more advanced techniques such as simulating depth of field. Have you ever wondered how graphic artists get type to look so good on top of any background? Hammel shows you how this is done, along with some other nice text effects. Also, he has one of the best techniques for converting a photo into a sketch that I have seen so far. His technique goes beyond the usual examples that you find in books and on the web.
   
   Moving from photography to web design, Hammel states that "color is king" on the web today. Only just a few years ago, books were preaching just the opposite. But now with the better monitors, Hammel can share some of his techniques for creating mood, simulating 3D and reflections, and "popping" an image. He also has some great techniques for creating folds from texture and gradients and for creating the popular Toon style.
   
   With the advent of widgets and other ways to create your own desktop applications, graphic designers are being asked to design user interfaces (GUI) for these applications. Hammel devotes the last section of his book to take you through the design process for creating a UI for a video player. He starts with the face plate and designs each part of the UI individually. However, these same techniques could be used to create environments for digital games and other design applications.
   
   Hammel has been working with GIMP from its beginnings in 1996. He has authored and co-authored many GIMP related books and articles.



2. If you don't know what GIMP is, it's an alternative to Photoshop that allows you to do the same things (essentially) but is free.
   
   I was impressed and surprised (in a good way) on the depth of tutorials in this book. I was really looking for something that would give me a good overview of using GIMP from the top, and was surprised at how many things you can do creatively that I hadn't even thought of. My only criticism is the paper used is flat and it would be nice to have something a little glossier for the images. The images are in color, which is nice though. I've used photoshop and now GIMP from probably a pretty basic level (I'm not a graphic artist) for album coverwork for compilation CD's for myself and friends, posters, and just playing around with abstract art to frame and hang on my own wall. I've been impressed with GIMP as an alternative to Photoshop and I think this book is a great companion to help me get the most out of it. If you've tried GIMP, which is free to download, and want to get more out of it, I would recommend this book.



3. GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program to give it its proper name, is a graphics-editing program broadly similar to Adobe Photoshop in terms of functionality. The GIMP is an open source program that can be freely downloaded and installed on most computers, including maps. But on the downside it doesn't come with a manual, so figuring out how to use GIMP can be tricky.
   
   But 'The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects' isn't simply a book explaining what all the different tools and features do. Michael Hammel pitches this book quite a bit higher than that, focusing instead on how to use GIMP to perform a variety of useful and common tasks. From trick photography to building graphics for web sites, Hammel leads the reader expertly through nicely illustrated tutorials. The end result is more than simply a better understanding of the program, but a richer appreciation of what the program can be used to do.
   
   There are six chapters, the first of which introduces many of the basic concepts. Although there is some attention given to where the relevant tools are found and how to use them, the focus here is on what they do and why you need them. Fundamental to success with any graphics program is understanding how different tools work when applied together, and Hammel finishes off this chapter with a set of multi-function tutorials that underline this point.
   
   The second chapter concentrates on manipulating photographs. These include softening images, adding motion effects, and creating reflections. In each case the process is taken step-by-step, with clear text and relevant screenshots. At this point it's also worth mentioning something about the layout of the book. No Starch has really done a good job here. The book is wider than it is tall, and each page holds two columns of text. The flexible binding lets the book stay open at any page. As a result, it's an easy book to use alongside the computer.
   
   The next chapter is about creating artwork for web sites. These include things like tiles for web page backgrounds, buttons, tabs, and menu bars. The first tutorial in this batch is all about creating glossy, gel-like buttons of the type Macintosh users will be familiar with. One of the later tutorials looks at the ubiquitous rollover buttons, though from the perspective of creating the actual artwork required rather than the necessary JavaScript or CSS coding. That said, if you use a WYSIWYG web page layout program like Freeway, you probably won't need to manually any of that sort of code to your page anyway; all you need are the graphics.
   
   Like all the other chapters, the web design chapter finishes with a collection of useful tips. Some of these should be required reading for any web designer, and it's great to see the author lay them out fair and square.
   
   The fourth chapter is very unusual but actually makes a lot of sense. It's a chapter devoted to creating advertising. While no substitute for a degree in marketing, there's some great stuff here for anyone who needs to produce things like packaging and posters. Small businesses attracted to GIMP by its low cost will likely find this chapter worth the price of the book alone. On the other hand, some of the tutorials in this section are only incidentally useful for advertising purposes though, and could be just as relevant to anyone creating computer artwork. Again, there's a wrap-up section with a slew of useful tips and tricks.
   
   Chapter five brings text into the mix. This chapter kicks off with some tutorials covering things like neon, metallic, and gel-like text, among other typographic effects.
   
   The last chapter is specifically for software developers, and illustrates the ways in which GIMP can be used to design and prototype application interfaces. While a clever and potentially useful chapter, what was obviously missing from this section of the book was something on designing icons for programs. The book then rounds off with a detailed index.
   
   For $45 this isn't a cheap book, especially when you consider that GIMP itself is free and comes with its own online guides and tutorials. The question is whether having things laid out clearly and logically in a nicely illustrated book justifies the cost. In the opinion of this reviewer at least, the answer is yes. For the GIMP user looking to go beyond simply cropping and resizing digital images, this book is highly recommended.



4. Should have purchased this book months ago. Not for the absolute beginner, but a must have for the advanced beg or int user who wants to learn more about using gimp.



5. The GIMP is an image editor whose power and easy use rivals the industry standard Photoshop - and is a popular free software item. While The Artist's Guide to GIMP Effects could've been explored in our Computer Shelf area, it's reviewed here to alert every artist working with computer images. It shows how to use the GIMP's powerful features to apply to ads, photos, and business pursuits, and comes from an author who has used GIMP since its first public release. From specialty photographic techniques available within the GIMP model to advanced web design features for special effects, no photo artist using the computer should be without THE ARTIST'S GUIDE TO GIMP EFFECTS - and any collection strong in Photoshop-type books needs it.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch